A fascinating vintage Tudor Oyster Prince with a striking black military-style dial, warm aged luminous numerals and inner 13–24 hour scale, housed in a distinctive angular Oyster case and currently fitted to a green NATO-style strap.
The watch has a strong Vietnam-era military aesthetic. Tudor watches genuinely have an important military history: the company documents Tudor Submariners supplied to the U.S. Navy, including examples used during the Vietnam period, while period Tudor Oyster Prince watches shared Rolex's waterproof Oyster-case technology and self-winding system.
However, there are no visible military issue or unit engravings on this particular watch, so I would describe it as Vietnam War era / military-style rather than claiming that this individual watch was issued or served in Vietnam.
Brand: Tudor
Model: Oyster Prince
Era: Vintage / Vietnam War era styling
Reference: Not confirmed from the photographs
Case: Angular stainless-steel Oyster-style case
Dial: Black military-style dial
Hour Display: Large luminous Arabic numerals with inner 13–24 hour scale
Dial Signature: TUDOR / OYSTER PRINCE
Hands: Broad luminous hour and minute hands with central seconds
Lume: Strong warm cream/yellow aged appearance
Crystal: Domed acrylic/Plexiglas-style crystal
Movement: Mechanical; exact calibre and winding type not confirmed
Crown: Fluted crown
Caseback: Tudor signed; additional wording heavily worn
Military Markings: No military issue/unit markings visible
Strap: Green NATO-style textile strap
Strap Originality: Replacement / not represented as original
Box & Papers: None shown
Service History: Unknown
Water Resistance: Not guaranteed
Presented in heavily characterful vintage condition.
The black dial has a striking military layout with large Arabic numerals, triangular minute markers and an inner 24-hour scale. The luminous material has developed a particularly attractive warm yellow/cream appearance across the dial and hands.
The case displays extensive scratches, scuffs, surface wear and ageing. The caseback is particularly worn, with the Tudor emblem remaining visible but much of the surrounding wording now difficult to read.
The domed crystal shows scratches and age-related marks. The green NATO-style strap is a replacement and complements the military character of the watch.
No recent service, accuracy test or water-resistance test has been supplied.
Please study all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
The Oyster Prince was launched in 1952. Tudor records Hans Wilsdorf specifically promoting the model around the strength, reliability and precision offered by the Rolex Oyster case and self-winding mechanism.
Tudor's military history is also genuine. The company's archives document Tudor Submariners used by the U.S. Navy, including a Ref. 7928 produced in 1964 and subsequently carrying US Navy markings dated October 1968. Tudor also records military use by the French Marine Nationale and other armed forces.
There are additionally documented vintage Tudors with Vietnam provenance. One Ref. 7016/0 was sold with paperwork linking it to a U.S. Navy serviceman during the war, while specialist dealer Wind Vintage has documented another circa-1968 Tudor understood to have been purchased by a U.S. serviceman and worn in Vietnam.
That history makes the appearance of this watch particularly evocative, but without provenance linking this specific example to a serviceman, it should not be sold as an issued or combat-worn Vietnam War watch.
Early Tudor Oyster Prince watches occupy an interesting position between Rolex engineering and Tudor's own developing identity.
The combination of a vintage Oyster case, Tudor branding and military-inspired dial makes this an unusual-looking example. Its 24-hour dial in particular gives it a very different appearance from the conventional baton-dial Oyster Prince watches more commonly encountered.
Because the precise reference, movement and originality of the dial have not yet been established, I would avoid making stronger claims about rarity or military provenance until the watch has been examined internally.
Built by time. Worn with character.
A fascinating vintage Tudor Oyster Prince with a striking black military-style dial, warm aged luminous numerals and inner 13–24 hour scale, housed in a distinctive angular Oyster case and currently fitted to a green NATO-style strap.
The watch has a strong Vietnam-era military aesthetic. Tudor watches genuinely have an important military history: the company documents Tudor Submariners supplied to the U.S. Navy, including examples used during the Vietnam period, while period Tudor Oyster Prince watches shared Rolex's waterproof Oyster-case technology and self-winding system.
However, there are no visible military issue or unit engravings on this particular watch, so I would describe it as Vietnam War era / military-style rather than claiming that this individual watch was issued or served in Vietnam.
Brand: Tudor
Model: Oyster Prince
Era: Vintage / Vietnam War era styling
Reference: Not confirmed from the photographs
Case: Angular stainless-steel Oyster-style case
Dial: Black military-style dial
Hour Display: Large luminous Arabic numerals with inner 13–24 hour scale
Dial Signature: TUDOR / OYSTER PRINCE
Hands: Broad luminous hour and minute hands with central seconds
Lume: Strong warm cream/yellow aged appearance
Crystal: Domed acrylic/Plexiglas-style crystal
Movement: Mechanical; exact calibre and winding type not confirmed
Crown: Fluted crown
Caseback: Tudor signed; additional wording heavily worn
Military Markings: No military issue/unit markings visible
Strap: Green NATO-style textile strap
Strap Originality: Replacement / not represented as original
Box & Papers: None shown
Service History: Unknown
Water Resistance: Not guaranteed
Presented in heavily characterful vintage condition.
The black dial has a striking military layout with large Arabic numerals, triangular minute markers and an inner 24-hour scale. The luminous material has developed a particularly attractive warm yellow/cream appearance across the dial and hands.
The case displays extensive scratches, scuffs, surface wear and ageing. The caseback is particularly worn, with the Tudor emblem remaining visible but much of the surrounding wording now difficult to read.
The domed crystal shows scratches and age-related marks. The green NATO-style strap is a replacement and complements the military character of the watch.
No recent service, accuracy test or water-resistance test has been supplied.
Please study all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
The Oyster Prince was launched in 1952. Tudor records Hans Wilsdorf specifically promoting the model around the strength, reliability and precision offered by the Rolex Oyster case and self-winding mechanism.
Tudor's military history is also genuine. The company's archives document Tudor Submariners used by the U.S. Navy, including a Ref. 7928 produced in 1964 and subsequently carrying US Navy markings dated October 1968. Tudor also records military use by the French Marine Nationale and other armed forces.
There are additionally documented vintage Tudors with Vietnam provenance. One Ref. 7016/0 was sold with paperwork linking it to a U.S. Navy serviceman during the war, while specialist dealer Wind Vintage has documented another circa-1968 Tudor understood to have been purchased by a U.S. serviceman and worn in Vietnam.
That history makes the appearance of this watch particularly evocative, but without provenance linking this specific example to a serviceman, it should not be sold as an issued or combat-worn Vietnam War watch.
Early Tudor Oyster Prince watches occupy an interesting position between Rolex engineering and Tudor's own developing identity.
The combination of a vintage Oyster case, Tudor branding and military-inspired dial makes this an unusual-looking example. Its 24-hour dial in particular gives it a very different appearance from the conventional baton-dial Oyster Prince watches more commonly encountered.
Because the precise reference, movement and originality of the dial have not yet been established, I would avoid making stronger claims about rarity or military provenance until the watch has been examined internally.
Built by time. Worn with character.
